Since Time Immemorial
by Till D3ath Do Us Part
Summary: "This too shall pass. Indeed . . . But my memory of you will not." Gaia was having trouble handling her nightmares, secluding herself from society. But one dream would change all that. After all, nothing lasts forever . . .


Empty silence surrounded the young woman, pressing in on her like a prison. The hall she was wandering down, though beautifully decorated, seemed as desolate as the Gobi Desert. There was nothing, no one in sight. The hall stretched longer than the eye could see.

This was not Gaia Corinth's usual nightmare.

Too often, the gray-haired defense attorney's dreams took her to the day she fell and nearly left the world of the living. The hall would be crowded with people. However, these people would not acknowledge her. Nothing she could do would redirect her attention. Nothing except falling to her death.

As she would walk, she'd touch a stone, and a chasm would open beneath her. She'd grab desperately for the edge, but nothing would save her now. Before the bone-shattering pain shot through her body, she would hear a horrified cry, as if calling out for her would save her.

"Gaia, no!"

Foolishness.

But no, her subconscious had taken her somewhere else tonight. She faintly recalled this place, but it seemed too surreal. The beautiful empty hallway and the crushing silence. Nothing had been like this, or so she thought.

A figure appeared at the end of the corridor. Gaia's pulse and pace quickened. Someone was there. Someone was coming. _Please don't be a mirage; please don't be a mirage,_ the girl begged to her mind. Unbeknownst to Gaia, that figure was thinking the same thing.

The figure got closer and closer, as did Gaia. With each step, their minds raced with possibilities. Gaia covered the remaining distance between them, and soon they were standing face-to-face.

"You?!" The figure recoiled in shock. Gaia immediately recognized the man, what with his white hair and eyes. This man was Bromine Odium, a dark mage and dimension traveler. "How are you— I mean, I don't usually see you on the dream plane . . ."

Gaia smirked faintly. "Ha, well, I'm just awesome like that," she said, her tone laced with bitterness.

Bromine shook his head. "I do not believe that is the real reason," he said without missing a beat. "Are you having doubts?"

Gaia sighed in return. "I guess you could say that."

Bromine nodded solemnly. "I see." He thought for a moment. "I'm not very good with this sort of thing, but I suppose we could talk…"

Gaia replied only with a cold glare. "You wouldn't understand. Nobody does."

The older man stared at her quizzically. "That was uncharacteristically harsh of you," he said, tilting his head.

This startled a peal of sharp, angry laughter from Gaia. "You don't know me very well, _do you_?" she said darkly.

Bromine looked concerned. "I know you well enough to know that you would look at this from my angle."

Gaia suddenly raised a fist. "Go to h*ll, Odium. Go to h*ll." She turned on her heel and walked in the opposite direction.

Bromine, after recovering from slight shock, briskly followed her. _Well, that escalated quickly_, he thought. He caught up with Gaia just in time to see her brush a hand against a certain death-bringing panel. "Don't touch that—" he began, but it was too late.

As Gaia fell, she scrabbled desperately for the edge of the chasm that had opened beneath her. What a fool she was, thinking she had a reprieve from her nightmares. Of course, now a person who didn't even witness the true event had to see her crash and burn, crash and _die_. Yes, her subconscious demanded that she bring some semblance of sadness to everyone she met. Her twisted, mangled laughter rang out as she tumbled through empty darkness. And, seconds away from terminal velocity and certain death, she slowed.

An aura surrounded her, stopping her just before she hit the cold stone floor and carrying her upwards. The aura felt warm yet dark, like sweet dreams. When Gaia gained enough courage to open her eyes, she was almost above the gaping hole. The aura disappeared when she had made it to the actual ground. She crumpled to the floor. "I'm such a wretch, aren't I," she muttered.

Bromine shook his head, the aura that surrounded his hands vanishing. "No, but you do look like a wreck at the moment," he said, laughing slightly at his not-quite-a-pun.

Gaia looked up at him. Her face was tear streaked, but she smiled. "You saved me . . . thank you." She tilted her head. "But why did you do that?"

Bromine pondered this for a second. "I just decided to repay an act of kindness. For someone who didn't instantly label me as merciless."

Gaia shrugged. "Hey, my job is proving people who look like murderers not guilty. So it's kinda second nature."

Bromine's mouth twitched up at the corners. "I appreciate that."

Gaia chuckled. "Not many people do, bro."

Bromine nodded, thought for a moment, and then pulled a rune-inscribed ring off his finger.

"So you will remember this," he said, handing it to her. "It says '_This too shall pass' . . ."_

As he put the ring in her hand, Bromine and the surroundings began to fade to black.

"No!" Gaia cried, reaching out for the rapidly disappearing man. "Please don't go! You understand me!"

Gaia woke up in a cold sweat. This had been a nightmare, but in a way, it comforted her. She was consoled knowing that someone somewhere understood.

The girl realized there was something in her hand. She opened it carefully, as if whatever the item was would fly away like a butterfly. The ring from her dream rested in her hand.

"This too shall pass. Indeed . . . But my memory of you will not."

The ring was slipped onto Gaia's finger.

She would never let the truth fade.

Ever.


End file.
